Real Fake/Fake Real: Pro-Wrestling’s Kayfabe Conundrum
An anthropologist takes on pro-wrestling at the intersection of gig-economy precariousness and post-truth politics.
“Let it Go” and “Defying Gravity”: Queer Anthems in Lockstep
The leading songs from Wicked and Frozen emphasize the importance of self-determination and being true to oneself.
Arthur Miller, Comedian
Yep. The author of Death of a Salesman and The Crucible wrote comedies as well. Funny ones.
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission: Annotated
The 2010 decision, enabling the rise of super PACS, made possible new and more covert mechanisms for funding election campaigns in the United States.
Quintessential Resilience: The Breadfruit in the Caribbean
The breadfruit tree has coexisted with humans for more than three thousand years. Its future may depend on how strong of an ally humans can become to it.
The Open Polar Sea: Myth and Science at the North Pole
The idea of an open polar sea haunted the imaginations of European explorers and scientists alike in the nineteenth century.
The Secrets of Butterfly Migration, Written in Pollen
Trillions of insects move around the globe each year. Scientists are working on new ways to map those long-distance journeys.
In the Ladies’ Loo
Gender-segregated bathrooms tell a story about who is and who is not welcome in public life.
The Wonderfully Complex Whitman Sisters
A popular act on the Black vaudeville circuit, the Whitman Sisters relied on a reputation for strong morals while challenging racial and gender codes.
Medieval Skyscrapers, Cars for Justice, and Russian Noir
Well-researched stories from Smithsonian Magazine, CrimeReads, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.